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Oct 20, 2006 -- Legal Center Weekly Report: October 20, 2006 Legal Center and Democracy 21 File New Complaints Against PA Groups
This week, the Campaign Legal Center and Democracy 21 filed a new complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) against The Lantern Project, a pro-Democratic 527 group, and Softer Voices, a pro-Republican 527 group, for spending soft money to influence the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate race in violation of the federal campaign finance laws.
According to the complaint, The Lantern Project and Softer Voices are organized under Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC), and are each, by IRC definition, a ''political organization'' that is operated ''primarily'' for the purpose of influencing candidate elections.
"As a direct result of FEC inaction, 527 organizations have been able to spend the same kind of huge, politically-corrupting 'soft money' donations that were outlawed by the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act," said J. Gerald Hebert, Executive Director of the Campaign Legal Center. "The FEC's complete failure to regulate these organizations continues to undermine the campaign finance laws of our nation."
To view the full press release, click here.
To view the complaint with exhibits, click here.
On Wednesday October 18, Meredith McGehee spoke to a group of graduate students at Georgetown University's Communication, Culture and Technology Program. In light of the upcoming midterm elections, McGehee addressed the relationship between broadcasting and politics.
Legal Center Blog Highlights
Each week, the Campaign Legal Center staff posts blog entries on its site, www.clcblog.org. Click to read this week's entries: "New 527 Complaints Focus on Both Sides of Santorum Race," "Electing the Congress We Deserve?," and "Congress's Charity Cases" or to sign up for blog updates, click here.
To read a variety of this week's editorials and articles on campaign finance, including an op-ed by Fran Hill, IRS Program Director, titled "Congress's Charity Cases," please click here. |
